KYOCERA TCL Solar Completes 29.2MW Solar Power Plant on Repurposed Land in Japan

KYOTO, Japan – KYOCERA Corporation (herein “Kyocera”) and Tokyo Century Corporation (herein “Tokyo Century”) announced that Kyocera TCL Solar LLC (herein “Kyocera TCL Solar”) has completed construction of a 29.2 megawatt (MW) utility-scale solar power plant in Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. The solar modules were installed on 1.2km2 of land originally designated for a golf course and other purposes but subsequently abandoned. A ceremony was held on April 27 to commemorate completion of Kyocera TCL Solar’s largest solar power plant.

108,504 Kyocera solar modules will generate an estimated 36,080 megawatt hours (MWh) per year — enough electricity to power approximately 12,000 typical households*1. All electricity generated at the plant will be sold to the local utility (The Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc.). Since Tottori Prefecture has a Japan Sea coastal climate with heavy snow and short hours of sunlight during the winter months, it is not always considered to be a suitable area for constructing a solar power plant. However, the company overcame such difficulties by optimizing installation methods to allow for weather conditions of the area and ensure sufficient power generation capacity.

Kyocera TCL Solar has constructed 63 solar power plants across Japan including this 29.2 MW plant with approximately 215 MW*2 of total output since the company was established in August 2012. Kyocera TCL Solar, Kyocera and Tokyo Century remain committed to promoting renewable energy as well as contributing to environmental protection and the creation of a sustainable society through their solar energy business.

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*1 Based on average annual use of 2,973.6 kWh per household. Source: Japan Atomic Energy Relations Organization (Graphical Flip-chart of Nuclear & Energy Related Topics)
*2 Total output of the plants in operation as of April 26, 2018